Quick and Easy Microwave Milk Tart

Milk Tart is woven into the fabric of South African’s foodie memories. Adults and children alike cannot resist the creamy milk custard, topped with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. The white, silky custard filling tops a coconut biscuit base or flaky short crust pastry.

In South Africa the Bakers biscuit brand makes a wonderful crisp, coconut biscuit called a Tennis biscuit. I have replicated the taste as the supply of Tennis biscuits can be sporadic in local South African shops. I crush Rich Tea biscuits and use a sprinkling of desiccated coconut over the crushed biscuit base.  South African friends that have tried my Quick & Easy Microwave Milk Tart always comment on how delicious the Tennis Biscuit base is, so it definitely works as a substitute.  If you love a custard tart this recipe is one to try.

This makes a perfect ending to your summertime meal.

The recipe shown has been doubled and made in a loose bottomed fluted tin.

Milk Tart

 

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Preparation time

5 Minutes

Cooking time

20 Minutes

Total time

25 Minutes

 

This is a taste of South Africa. A custard tart topped with ground cinnamon that rests on a crushed biscuit base. This is a wonderful dessert to add to your BBQ or Braai.

Marissa: www.marissa.co

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: South African

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 397g tin Condensed Milk
• Using the condensed milk tin as a measure, measure 3 full tins of Whole Milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 4 tablespoons corn flour heaped and diluted in a little of the milk from above
• ½ large packet Tennis/Rich Tea or Nice biscuits, crushed finely like fine sand
• If you are using Rich Tea/ Nice biscuits add 2 Tablespoons Desiccated Coconut over the top of the biscuit base to replicate the flavour of Tennis or Nice biscuits
• ⅓ - ½ cup Butter, melted
• Ground cinnamon to taste

Method

1. Read the notes regarding what tin to prepare.
2. Preparing the base:
3. In a medium bowl, combine the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter.
4. To ensure the biscuits will form a crust, press the mixture firmly against the sides of the mixing bowl.
5. If the biscuits hold together, transfer the mixture to your chosen tin, pressing it evenly across the base and up the sides. If the mixture crumbles and does not hold, add more melted butter, stir thoroughly, and test again.
6. Once the biscuit base holds together, set it aside in the fridge until your custard is ready.
7. If the base still doesn’t hold, continue adding more butter and retesting until it does.
8. Preparing the Custard:
9. In a glass, microwave-safe bowl, combine the condensed milk, regular milk, beaten egg, and cornflour.
10. Using a balloon whisk, whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.
11. Microwave the custard on full power for 4 minutes. Afterward, remove the bowl and whisk vigorously.
12. Return the bowl to the microwave, and continue microwaving in 2-minute intervals, whisking each time until the mixture visibly thickens. This process should take approximately 12-15 minutes, depending on your microwave.
13. To test if the mixture is ready, place a tablespoon of the cooked custard onto a plate. Pull a teaspoon through the middle of the custard—if it forms a channel and does not merge back together, it is cooked and ready to be added to the base. If the mixture flows back together, cook the custard for a few more minutes, then test again.
14. Once the custard is ready, stir in the vanilla essence or vanilla bean paste.
15. Pour the custard mixture over the biscuit base, work quickly and smooth the top.
16. Allow the milk tart to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
17. Serving:
18. When ready to serve, remove the milk tart from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften the butter and make the milk tart easier to cut.

Tips

Tins:
Use a loose-based tin, any shape any size, I have a fluted tin that looks lovely as shown in the website photo.
The size of your chosen dish will determine the depth of the custard. Some people love a thick custard and others prefer a thinner layer.

Individual servings - For a dinner party I layer the biscuits and custard into individual tumblers, I cover each glass with plastic wrap. This elevates the milk tart into a dinner party dessert.

Serving
Cover the milk tart very well in the fridge so the base doesn’t go soggy with the fridge moisture.

Remove the milk tart from the fridge to allow the biscuit base to soften slightly (5 minutes) this makes cutting and serving slightly easier.

Use a cake slice the size of the pieces you want to serve, this lifts the whole slice out of the tin supported.

I have friends who are scared to lift the milk tart out and ask me to do it, you have to lift the slices out confidently and quickly.

When I first started making this recipe, I cut the slices with a knife one at a time depending on how big a slice each guest wanted, then I slid the cake slice underneath the slice and helped the tip of the slice to lift out with a tablespoon as a support, which was held in my other hand. This worked well.

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1. In a medium bowl, combine the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter.
2. To ensure the biscuits will form a crust, press the mixture firmly against the sides of the mixing bowl.
3. If the biscuits hold together, transfer the mixture to your chosen tin, pressing it evenly across the base and up the sides. If the mixture crumbles and does not hold, add more melted butter, stir thoroughly, and test again.
4. Once the biscuit base holds together, set it aside in the fridge until your custard is ready.
5. If the base still doesn’t hold, continue adding more butter and retesting until it does.

Preparing the Custard:

1. In a glass, microwave-safe bowl, combine the condensed milk, regular milk, beaten egg, and cornflour.
2. Using a balloon whisk, whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.
3. Microwave the custard on full power for 4 minutes. Afterward, remove the bowl and whisk vigorously.
4. Return the bowl to the microwave, and continue microwaving in 2-minute intervals, whisking each time until the mixture visibly thickens. This process should take approximately 12-15 minutes, depending on your microwave.
5. To test if the mixture is ready to set, place a tablespoon of the cooked custard onto a plate. Pull a teaspoon through the middle of the custard—if it stands firm and does not merge back together, it is cooked and ready to be added to the base. If the mixture flows back together, cook the custard for a few more minutes, then test again until it stands firm.
6. Once the custard is ready, stir in the vanilla essence or vanilla bean paste.
7. Pour the custard mixture over the biscuit base, allow it to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Serving:

When ready to serve, remove the milk tart from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften the butter in the base slightly.